Harry HAYNES enlisted as SCOTT vanished 1918

[fullscott]

More than 400 pages in the WW1 Service Records (WO 363):

Harry HAYNES, born abt 1878, probably in the WALSALL area. Two brothers, possibly Herbert and George. A sister who married a THOMSON.

Harry married ROSE REBECCA LUCKHURST at Dover, in 1908, telling her (and the registrar) that his name was HARRY HAYNES SCOTT.
Son HARRY HAYNES SCOTT born Dover, 14 April 1908
Daughter IVY HAYNES born Holborn, London, 15 March 1911
Daughter LILIAN MAY HAYNES born 1914, died January 1916 (whooping cough).

According to his wife, Harry joined the army as a boy, serving in the Boer War. Military Records found no trace (I wonder if they bothered to look under HAYNES?).
In October 1900, declaring age 22y, he joined the RGA under the name of H H SCOTT (so that his family would not know he had joined the army). Not a perfect record, a couple of AWOLs/desertions, but transferred to the Reserve in 1908.

On the outbreak of war he was sent to serve. In early 1918 he deserted and was returned to service. In August 1918 he had leave at home in BIRMINGHAM, returning to France in September, telling his wife he didn't think he'd see her again and instructing her to keep using the name HAYNES SCOTT until the end of the war. He also told her not to marry again.

He reached France but then disappeared. The army declared him a deserter from October 1918. His wife claimed to have received a letter informing her that he was missing in action. By 1920 she was short of money and started trying to get some pension - this correspondence goes on until at least 1935! - involving local clergymen, war charity organisations, her MP, the police ...
And annoyingly, there is no clue to tell us what happened.

As one child was registered as SCOTT, the other as HAYNES, I have no idea under what names their descendants are registered. But if any of this rings a bell with you - GOOD LUCK!

Anc****y, SCO, pages 107554 to 107966

[RobertScott]

Hello.
I know this is several years ago, but I've just come across this today. Harry Haynes Scott was my Great Grandfather (my middle name is Scott, named after him!) Although he died before I was born, his wife lived till the year 2000 and many of my relatives remember Harry well.

I've come across this site because we've drawn a blank too. Nobody knew that Harry Haynes Scott had the surname Scott until after he died in the early 1980's - even his wife knew him has Harry Scott Haynes (She took the name Haynes when married.)

I had no idea that Harry had two sisters, but we had heard a vague story about his father disappearing. If you wish to know anything about his son Harry, please let me know as I'm sure we could help we with photographs, certificates etc and maybe together piece some of the information together that is puzzling both our families.

[fullscott]

Hello Robert.
I am the originator of this thread, but Harry is not in my family line. (My "hobby" - or as some would call it "housework avoidance tactic"! - is to trawl through the WW1 Service Records and try to put them in some sort of order.)
So I am very glad that my message reached someone, but very sorry that I can't be of any further help!
Jane